Eating Meatless: How Do You Get Enough Protein?

A hearty winter salad. Protein sources: chickpeas and bleu cheese.

I’ve been consistently eating meals without meat long enough that it’s no big deal to me anymore. However, talking to a few people recently has made me remember that a lot of people can’t picture what a full day without meat looks like. (No judgement— that was definitely me when I tried my vegetarian stint in my early 20s!) I thought it would be handy for me to write about what Zach and I eat in a typical week.

Keep in mind that this is not an ideal diet: we do eat a ton of carbs (which works fine for us but not for many people). This isn’t intended to be a this-is-how-you-should-eat guide, but simply an example of what a vegetarian diet can look like.

So, the first question that I always used to ask vegetarians, and likely you do too... “How do you get enough protein?!”

Turns out, unless you’re a bodybuilder, you don’t need nearly as much protein as you think you do. (Great article about that on 100 Days of Real Food.) Still, it doesn’t hurt to be conscientious about incorporating protein in your diet. Here are my favorite sources. 

Legumes. From refried beans and black-eyed peas to hummus, chickpea patties, and white bean sauces, we eat a ton of beans. (They don’t agree with everyone, but in general, the more you eat them, the more your body adjusts. We don’t have any problems with gas.)

Eggs. We spend the extra money to buy eggs either from the farmer’s market or from our neighbors, so we’re sure the eggs are from hens that run around in the sunshine, eating greens and bugs. The taste/texture/nutrition/humane treatment is exponentially better than typical grocery store eggs (although organic eggs will work in a pinch). Eggs will be an even bigger part of our diet once our chickies start laying!

Peanut butter. We eat a lot of peanut butter. Quick and tasty.

Nuts and seeds. I don’t use these as a primary protein source, but they’re a nice boost throughout the day: almonds in oatmeal, chia seeds on top of waffles, sesame seeds in stir-fries, etc.

Tofu. No, it’s not fake meat— tofu is a food that has been valued in several different (meat-eating) cuisines for centuries. Zach introduced me to tofu and now I’m addicted!

Dairy. Not ideal as a protein source, but works in a pinch. For instance, cheese is the protein if I make pizza.

Vegetables and whole grains. A lot of foods have a decent amount of protein in them, and it adds up over the course of the day.

Bonus: Bone broth. Although obviously not suitable for strict vegetarians, this is a good source to have in a humane omnivore’s repertoire. On the rare occasions that I do spend the money to buy a pastured chicken, I save the bones and simmer them in the crockpot with some vegetables for a few days. Every 24 hours or so I drain out the broth, add more water, and keep simmering, which gives me three or four large batches of broth. A cup of bone broth has as much protein as an egg.

Although I’m interested in trying traditional meat substitutes like tempeh and seitan, I have no interested in highly-processed fake meat. If you’re trying to incorporate vegetarian meals into your diet, it’s best to start with familiar foods like beans and peanut butter, rather than trying to replace meat with something that simply won’t taste as good.

Tomorrow: Our typical breakfasts, lunches, and dinners!

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